1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to disposable toothbrushes and more particularly pertains to a new toothbrush assembly for providing a toothbrush having toothpaste therein for a single use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of disposable toothbrushes is known in the prior art. More specifically, disposable toothbrushes heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 910,970; U.S. Pat. No. 1,212,010; U.S. Pat. No. 2,033,197; U.S. Pat. No. 2,243,774; U.S. Pat. No. 2,274,790; U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,627; U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,590; U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,593; U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,126; U.S. Pat. No. 5,737,792; U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,050; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,587.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new toothbrush assembly. The inventive device includes a tubular member which is elongated and has an open end and a closed end. A bore extends into the open end toward the closed end. The tubular member has a proximal portion, a middle portion and a distal portion with respect to the closed end of the tubular member. The proximal portion has an outer surface having a plurality of bristles attached thereto. The proximal portion has a hole therein extending into the bore. A plunger is elongated and has a first end and a second end. The plunger has a length and width substantially equal to a length and width of the bore. The first end of the plunger is extendable into the bore. A retaining means retains the plunger in the bore. Toothpaste is positioned in the bore and the plunger may be selectively extended into the bore such that the toothpaste is extracted through the hole.
In these respects, the toothbrush assembly according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a toothbrush having toothpaste therein for a single use.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of disposable toothbrushes now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new toothbrush assembly construction wherein the same can be utilized for providing a toothbrush having toothpaste therein for a single use.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new toothbrush assembly apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the disposable toothbrushes mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new toothbrush assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art disposable toothbrushes, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a tubular member which is elongated and has an open end and a closed end. A bore extends into the open end toward the closed end. The tubular member has a proximal portion, a middle portion and a distal portion with respect to the closed end of the tubular member. The proximal portion has an outer surface having a plurality of bristles attached thereto. The proximal portion has a hole therein extending into the bore. A plunger is elongated and has a first end and a second end. The plunger has a length and width substantially equal to a length and width of the bore. The first end of the plunger is extendable into the bore. A retaining means retains the plunger in the bore. Toothpaste is positioned in the bore and the plunger may be selectively extended into the bore such that the toothpaste is extracted through the hole.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new toothbrush assembly apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the disposable toothbrushes mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new toothbrush assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art disposable toothbrushes, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new toothbrush assembly which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new toothbrush assembly which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new toothbrush assembly which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such toothbrush assembly economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new toothbrush assembly which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new toothbrush assembly for providing a toothbrush having toothpaste therein for a single use.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new toothbrush assembly which includes a tubular member which is elongated and has an open end and a closed end. A bore extends into the open end toward the closed end. The tubular member has a proximal portion, a middle portion and a distal portion with respect to the closed end of the tubular member. The proximal portion has an outer surface having a plurality of bristles attached thereto. The proximal portion has a hole therein extending into the bore. A plunger is elongated and has a first end and a second end. The plunger has a length and width substantially equal to a length and width of the bore. The first end of the plunger is extendable into the bore. A retaining means retains the plunger in the bore. Toothpaste is positioned in the bore and the plunger may be selectively extended into the bore such that the toothpaste is extracted through the hole.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new toothbrush assembly that has a plunger which includes a retaining means such that the plunger may not be removed and the device refilled with toothpaste. This feature also prevents accidental discharge of the toothpaste through the hole as a relatively large amount of pressure must be placed on the plunger to move the catch out of the notch.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.